Assignment

Instructions: Please carefully read the following assignment details in its entirety. There are many components to this particular assignment, and each component is graded.

This essay should be between 900 and 1000 words, excluding the required annotated bibliography.

First, you will choose a topic of interest that has at least two opposing sides (please do not reuse your Toulmin essay topic). Then, you need to research that topic in order to specify the topic's scope, so it can be easily discussed in 1000 word essay.

Note: Consider your audience as laymen in the field who have only general knowledge of your topic.

The following overused and low-stakes topics may not be used in your essay:

gun control,

abortion,

capital punishment,

gay marriage,

gays in the military,

mandatory drug testing,

euthanasia,

childhood obesity,

women in the combat,

underage drinking/smoking (including changing the minimum age),
dangers of smoking (including e-cigarettes and synthetic marijuana),
salaries for college athletes,
homeschooling,
vaccination,
animal testing,
breast-feeding versus bottle-feeding, and the legalization of marijuana.

This essay must include a minimum of five sources. Three should be peer-reviewed sources, preferably from the APUS databases. From the library welcome page, click on Advanced Search at the bottom of the page and then check the "peer reviewed" sources box filter.

The following should clarify the term "peer-reviewed": http://youtu.be/rOCQZ7QnoN0. You may use eBooks; however, as discussed in your textbook, books generally are not as current as peer-reviewed articles. You may also use primary sources (interviews, statistics, etc); however, these primary sources should be obtained from experts within that field. If you cannot find strong sources for your chosen topic, then change your topic. If you have a question about the validity of a source, please contact a librarian: librarian@apus.edu

Make sure to include the following sections in your essay:

an introduction and claim,

background,

body,

and a conclusion.

Within the body of your essay, make sure to include the following in any order:

The background for your chosen topic,

the opposition - use an academic tone, and do not show bias,

the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents' claims,

scholarly research,

your claim -- use an academic tone, and do not show bias,

discuss the warrants for your claim and the opposition in order to find the common ground,

and show the common ground between your opponents' claim and your claim.

After you have written your essay, please make sure to revise the content of your essay. Lastly, be sure to edit your essay by checking grammar, format, and smaller technical details. Please make sure your essay is written in third person.

The Annotated Bibliography

An annotated Bibliography (AB) is due with your Rogerian essay. Using the MLA guide, list each source as it will appear on the Works Cited page of your essay. Summarize each source in two or three grammatically-correct sentences. These short summaries are the "annotations."

The following is a sample of an "annotated bibliography."

Annotated Bibliography (Centered)

Clark, Irene L. The Genre of Argument. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace, 1998. Print.

Clark's textbook identifies the major steps to developing a well-researched and well-written argumentative essay. Professional essays are included in the text as models.

Ward, Russ. Logical Argument in the Research Paper. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace, 1997. Print.

Augmenting the steps to writing an argumentative research paper is information about proper documentation. The Rogerian System, an important aspect of a well-planned paper, should be studied carefully.